Manygate Lane II
Shepperton, TW17

SOLD

Architect: E. Schoolheifer

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Designed by the Swiss architect Edward Schoolheifer for the Lyon Group in 1964, this three-bedroom house is a beautiful example of architecture of the era. The house has a spacious open-plan living area downstairs, arranged around a central ‘pod’ that accommodates a kitchen, cloakroom and staircase. Upstairs, the house benefits from three bedrooms (one with en-suite shower room) and a bathroom. There is also a walled garden to the rear and further garden space to the front. Two garages, located very nearby, also come with the house. The total internal area is approximately 120 sq m / 1,300 sq ft.

The house has been sympathetically maintained, with much of the original interior still intact (including wonderful teak and pine panelling). The upstairs bathroom has been recently updated. Much of the extensive glazing has also been recently renewed, as has the hardwood flooring. However, the kitchen would benefit from updating.

The house sits in a row of similar houses arranged around a private courtyard garden away from the road on the Manygate Lane Estate. The estate has recently been designated a Conservation Area. Manygate Lane is located five minutes’ walk from Shepperton train station, which runs direct services to London Waterloo. The house also has very good access to the M3 / M25. Please note that all houses on the Manygate Lane Estate are subject to a service charge of approximately £800 per year.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.


History

The houses on Manygate Lane were built in 1964 by the Lyons Group and
designed by the Swiss architect Edward Schoolheifer. They are neatly
arranged around two landscaped quadrangles. Built to a high
specification, these two-storey, three-bedroom houses were originally
sold in the mid-1960s for £7,695 each – a very high figure at the time
considering that the average price for a three-bedroom house in London
was then only £3,500.

The
radical design of the houses, especially the open-plan ground-floor
space, drew much attention when they were first built, and continues to
do so. An extensive article on Manygate Lane written for The Guardian
in 1999 describes the project as “a rare British experiment in
modernist private-sector housing” (Sarah Wise, Space, The Guardian,
7/10/99).

In recognition of its unique and outstanding design, Manygate Lane
was designated a Conservation Area in 2002. The listing information
notes that the estate “combines a stark simplicity of design and use of
modern materials in buildings that are set around traffic-free shared
open spaces with extensive landscaping”. With reference to the houses
themselves, it is pointed out that “the rear and front gardens are
visible through the open-plan living room when viewed from the
quadrangle green… The contemporary modernist concept of blurring the
division between inside and outside is will illustrated in these
properties.” Further information on the Conservation Area can be found
here: www.spelthorne.gov.uk/manygatelanedocumentnov29.pdf

Being
close to the renowned Shepperton film studios, the estate has had many
well-known residents, including Tom Jones (pictured right on the road
at the front of the houses). It is also rumoured that Marlon Brando,
Rod Steiger and Julie Christie have all rented houses on the Manygate
Lane Estate.


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